Blind Quotes Fly as Democratic Infighting Heats Up

The anonymous sniping that’s already occurring within the Democratic ranks over the Massachusetts Senate race is getting ugly—which means if Democrat Martha Coakley loses to Republican Scott Brown tonight, it’s only going to get uglier.

Associated Press

Politico first reported on a leaked memo written by an outside adviser to Coakley’s campaign who was miffed (anonymously, of course) at suggestions by other unnamed White House and Democratic Party officials that Coakley was a bad candidate and the main reason for the party’s implosion in Massachusetts. “If Martha is guilty of taking the race for granted, so is the White House and the DNC,” the adviser said.

An unnamed White House aide responded to Politico: “It’s a little mind-boggling to see political consultants spin the election before the election is even over. There’s only one reason to do that.”

Salon followed up on the memo reports, quoting a senior Democratic Party official, who says in part that: “This memo is a pack full of lies and fantasies – The DNC and the DSCC did everything they were asked and have been involved in the race for several weeks not just the last one -The campaign failed to recognize this threat, failed to keep Coakley on the campaign trail, failed to create a negative narrative about Brown, failed to stay on the air in December while he was running a brilliant campaign.”

A Democratic pollster told Washington Wire that party officials across the board failed to appreciate the national mood. “Things suck in America right now. They sucked in 2008, and they voted against the party in power, and they suck even worse now,” the pollster said.

On the record, Democrats have also levied criticism against the Coakley campaign, but with a milder words. “The White House did everything we were asked to do,” White House senior adviser David Axelrodsaid today. “I think if we had been asked earlier, we would have responded earlier.”